Electrical connecter device



May 24, 1938. H. M. JOHNSON 2,118,607

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE Filed Sept. l5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wwfaf.-

May 24, 1938- H. M, JOHNSON 2,118,607

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE jizz/612301@ fill? a?? Patented lMay 24, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE Herbert M. Johnson, Needham, Mass., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, a corporation oi' Pennsylvania Application September 15, 1936, Serial No. 100,840

7 claims. (oi. 247-2) 'Ihis inventiony relates to electrical apparatus several parts to be connected. It is to be further and is herein illustrated as embodied in an elecnoted thatin the u se of the present apparatus trical connection system. for meter installations the use of loose screws in In electrical power circuits, use is commonly making connections is avoided. The present apmade of a meter for measuring the amount of paratus also provides a junction between movable electricity supplied to individual smaller circuits, and xed parts requiring no close mechanical tolsuch as the circuits in dwelling houses. In view erance and also provides a positive disconnecof the very large number of meter installations tion feature to permit discontinuance of electric in all parts of the country, it is desirable that the service with a meter replaced in normal position. various apparatus used be standardized as far 'Ihese and other features of the invention are as possible and that the apparatus be susceptible disclosed in the accompanying drawings, and in to convenient installation. With this end in view, the following detailed specification, and will be it is an object of the present invention to provide pointed out in the claims. electrical connection apparatus of the type re- In the drawings, ferred to which can be readily and economically Fig- 1 illuStrateS a tOD-plan View 0f a trough 0r assembled and which at the same time will be panel box and cover constructed in accordance comparatively simple in construction. To this with my inveuiOn; end and as illustrated, I have provided apparatus Fig. 2 iS a UCD-Plan View 0f the trough 01' panel for forming the connections between the power box with the cover removed; line and individual circuit-control devices in Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical cross-Section which there are fixed contacts adapted to engage through the trough or panel box and cover; the power wires and a removable member carry-I Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the connecter ing contacts for engaging terminals of a meteri device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; or other instrument, together with connecters for Figs. 5, 6 and 'I are side elevations of modified engaging the first-mentioned terminals as well forms of connecting devices; and as movable members for applying pressure to the Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the two sets of terminals to make electrical contact. manner of connecting the apparatus in Circuit- Preferably and as shown, each power wire ex- As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the panel box emtends through a trough or -panel box and is sebodying the invention comprises a sheet-metal cured to a iixed terminal having associated therehousing in the fOlm 0f u trough l0 having Openwith an upstanding bracket, and there is a deings l2 in the bottom thereof through which the tachable member in the form of a cover carrytrough may be secured to a wall or other surface ing terminals adapted to engage a portion of an by means of screws (not shown). In the central electrical instrument, such as a meter, and havportion of the box is secured an insulating block ing a depending member movable heightwise of I4 held by screws I 6. Upon the block i4 are the bracket, there being a cam associated with mounted four terminal brackets i8 which carry the bracket for forcing together the depending binding posts 20, 2|, 22 and 23. In the central terminals and the bracket. Preferably, the cam portion of the block is mounted a bracket 24 caris arranged for operation by means of a rotatable rying binding posts 26 and 28. Bus wires 30, 32 shank or screw which is readily accessible when and 34 extend longitudinally of the box through the cover and meter terminal device are in place. openings in side walls therein and are respective- An advantage of the construction above outly connected to the binding posts 20, 2l and 26. lined is that the power wires can be secured to the Wires 36, 38 and 40 leading t0 Circuit-Control determinals in one or several installations as a previces are respectively connected to binding posts liminary step and then, when it is desired to in- 22, 28 and 23. Each of the brackets I8 is providstall an instrument such as a meter, the meter ed With an upwardly extending portion 42 which support is slid into position with the depending is bent inwardly as shown at 44 and then again members located adjacent to the brackets and upwardly as shown at 46. The portions 46 are the cams are then operated to make the elecadapted to engage depending contact members 48 trical contacts. This greatly simplifies the ascarried by blocks 50 of insulating material sesembly oi' the apparatus. Furthermore, the cams cured by screws 52 to a cross-bar 54 mounted in and associated elements facilitate the making of a circular opening 56 in a cover or instrument the electrical contacts, something which has panel 58. This panel has a socket 58 for the been more or less dlmcult to do heretofore bereception of a meter or other instrument. The caus oi the comparative inaccessibility of the panel 58 is-adapted to be secured to the panel boxi8 by screws 68 extending through openings in lateral flanges 64 extending inwardly from the upper portion of the trough I8.

Means is provided for insuring close contact between the members 48 and the upstanding portions of the brackets 4 6. This means comprises a cam 66( Figs. 3 and 4) in the form of a stud having a cylindrical head 68 and a shank portion 10 extending through the bracket I8 and having its lower end upset to prevent removal of the stud from the bracket. The upper end of the cylindrical portion 68 has a slot '|2 adapted to receive the end of a screw-driver so that the cam can be rotated readily about the axis of the shank 18 into engagement with the depending member 48, thereby to force the members 46 and 48 into close engagement and to retain them in that position.

The member 48 is provided with a nib '|4 to act as a stop to prevent the rotation of the cam beyond its maximum throw. 'I'he depending members 48 are respectively connected to spring contacts 16, 18, 88 and 82 secured to the insulating blocks 58. 'I'hese spring contacts are adapted to receive the four terminals of a meter or other instrument which is to be inserted in position within the opening 56 in the socket 59 of the cover 58. This construction is such that when the instrument is in position and the cams 68 are rotated to force the contacts 46 and 48 together that the current will pass from the wire 38 through the terminal 28 to contact 16 to contact 18 to terminal 22 `into the wire 36. Similarly the current will pass through the wire 32 to terminal 2| through the contact members 88 and the instrument to contact members 82 and terminal 23 to the wire 48. Thus it will be apparent that after the trough I8 and the block I4 havev been installed the cover 58 and its instrument contacts can be readily secured in position on the panel box I8 and the electrical connections can be completed by adjustment of the cams '|8, after which the instrument, such as a meter, can be positioned in en- Sagement with the contact members 16, 18, 88

and 82.

Another form of connecting device is illustrated in Fig. 5 which discloses an upstanding bracket 84 connected to an insulatingblock 86 in a manner similar to the bracket I8 previously described. 'I'he upper end 88 of the bracket is bent outwardly and has extending through it a screw 98,'the lower portion 92 of which is upset to prevent heightwise movement of the screw relatively to the bracket. The upper portion of the bracket has an opening 9|, adapted to receive the depending member 48. To engage the member 48 there is provided a cam or wedge member 94, substantially U-shaped, and mounted upon the screw S8. 'I'he member has a projection 98 adapted to contact with the member 48 upon rotating the screw in a direction to raise the member 94. A laterally projecting portion 95 abuts the bracket thereby preventing rotation of the wedge. This provides a simple means for forming an electrical connection between the member 48 and lthe terminal 91 to which the brackets 84 are connected.

Fig; v6 discloses another modification of connecting devices in which there is a bracket 98 similar to the bracket 84 of Fig. 5 and a screw |88 extending through the bracket in a heightwise direction, said screw carrying a wedge member |82, a leg portion |84 of which extends through a guide slot |85 in the bracket 98. The bracket has a lateral projection |88 adapted to enter an opening |88 in the depending contact portion 48 when the latter is moved down into position adjacent to the bracket through the opening |88 therein. The projection |86 and the walls of the opening |88 constitute a locking device which operates to prevent relative heightwise movement of the contacting parts.

Fig. 7 shows a still further modiiication of connecting devices in which there is a bracket |89 and screw I|8 similar to those shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and a contacting member ||2 having a laterally extending portion I4 embracing the screw and an offset portion |I6 extending downwardly and then inwardly toward the bracket |89 and having a nib I I8 positioned in a vertically extending slot l|28 in the bracket |88. 'I'he member II6 is adapted to engage the depending member 48 in a manner similar to the other modification of connecting devices as above set forth. The nib ||8 prevents rotation of the member i6 about the axis oi' the screw |8.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8, two or more connecter devices in a trough I0 of the type above set forth can be connected in a series to the bus lines 38, 32 andy 34, each of them being wired in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2. Thus, when it is desired to install meters or other instruments subsequent to wiring one or more of the panel boxes, it is only necessary to insert the cover and linstrument socket 58 with the depending contact member 48 extending downwardly into juxtaposition with the upper portions 46 of the bracket 42 and rotate the cams 68 to cause close contact between the members 46 and 48, after which the meter or other instrument' is positioned with its contacts engaging the spring members 16, 18, 88, and 82. Thus it will be seen that I have provided a comparatively simple construction for facilitating the assembling and installation of 4meters or other instruments in electric circuits.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

' upon the housing, an Aelectrical contact element carried by the support, an electric terminal carried by the housing, means for insuring electrical contact between the contact element and the terminal comprising a bracket secured to the terminal and having a portion thereof extending adjacent to the contact element, and a cam mounted upon the bracket operable to force said portion thereof into engagement with the contact element.

l 2. An electrical connecter device comprising a housing, an instrument support mounted upon the housing, an electrical contact element carried by the support, an electric terminal carried by the housing, means for insuring electrical contact between the contact element and the terminal comprising a bracket secured to the terminal and having a portion thereof extending adjacent to the contact element, a screw carried by the bracket, a. wedge member mounted upon the screw for movement into engagement with the contact member and means to prevent rotation of the wedge relatively to the bracket during such movement.

3. An electrical circuit connecter comprising two separable electrical contact element supports, a contact element carried by one' o! the supports and having a depending portion, a bracket carried by the other of the supports and having an upstanding portion extending adjacent to the said depending portion, a rotatable' 4. An electrical connecter device comprising a/ housing, an instrument support mounted upon the housing, a terminal plate mounted upon the housing, a contact element-depending from the instrument support, interlocking means upon the terminal plate and contact element to lock the same against relative heightwise movement, and means for applying pressure to the plate and 'element to insure electrical contact between them. 5. In lan electric meter installation including a receptacle having terminal clamps mounted therein and a meter support mounted thereon including terminal jaws for making connection with the terminals of a meter; a releasableconnecting device for electrically connecting a terminal clamp with a terminal jaw comprising conducting members secured at one end to' said clamp and jaw, respectively, and having the free ends thereof extending adjacent to but spaced from each other, at least one of said members being resiliently movable toward the other, and means carried by one of said members for exerting a wedging action on the other member to clamp the free ends of the members together.

' 6. In an electric meter installation including a receptacle having terminal clamps mounted therein and a meter support mounted thereon including terminal jaws for making connection with the terminals of a meter; a releasable connecting device for electrically connecting a terminal clamp with a terminal jaw comprising conducting members secured at one end to said clamp and jaw, respectively, and having the free ends thereof extending adjacent to but spaced from each other, at least one of said members being resiliently movable toward thev other, and means carried by one of said members for exerting a wedging action on the other member to clamp the free ends of the members together, said means including a Wedge actuating device fixed to said one of said members.

'7. In an electric meter installation including a receptacle having terminal clamps mounted therein and a meter support mounted thereon including terminal jaws formaking connection with the terminals of a meter; a releasable connecting device for electrically connecting a terminal clamp with a terminal jaw comprising conducting members secured at one end to said clamp and jaw, respectively, and having the free ends thereof extending adjacent to each other, and manually operable means carried by one of said members operable in one direction to positively connect said free ends and operable in the opposite direction to break such connection.

HERBERT M. JOHNSON. 

